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Russian Treasures #2
White Ghosts
In 1922, white colonialists in Shanghai see themselves as an impregnable supreme race. But then Russians come and ruin the perfect world Europeans and Americans built for themselves in China. Fleeing the Bolsheviks, Russian refugees arrive in thousands, noblemen and common laborers alike, ready to take any job and get their hands dirty. They don’t care if it made other white people look not so exceptional in front of the locals.
Klim Rogov, a Russian journalist famous for his wit, used to be a rich man who won the heart of a brilliant, passionate young business woman, Nina Kupina. Now, they find themselves in a rusty refugee ship anchoring in Shanghai harbor without money, documents, and any prospect in the near future, but Klim believes that he and Nina can cope with any challenge as long as they are together.
One night, Nina disappears from the ship amidst strange circumstances, and Klim’s fellow refugees suspect that she ran away with another man.
Once in the city, Klim is rejected by both the whites and the Chinese, and his only dubious ally is a difficult teenage dancer who decides to seduce him for sport. Klim knows that the “fallen gods” should keep a low profile, but he is obsessed with winning his life back and finding out what happened to Nina.
He writes a diary, which becomes a whimsical China travel guide to the world of weapon smugglers, opium traders, corrupt police, and communist agents doing everything possible to ignite a civil war in China.
But when Klim discovers Nina’s dark secret, he begins to doubt if he can handle it. And to make things worse, the Chinese nationalists gather an army and launch an attack on defenseless Shanghai.
White Ghosts is a testament to the endurance of the human spirit and a totally new look at Chinese history during the roaring 1920s. Based on extensive research and memories of the author’s family members, it tells the story of the unlikely heroes, the people who, consciously or unconsciously, played a significant role in destroying the racist ideology and eventually the decolonization of China.
This book is a must-read for fans of Shanghai Girls by Lisa See, The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes, and The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.
Klim Rogov, a Russian journalist famous for his wit, used to be a rich man who won the heart of a brilliant, passionate young business woman, Nina Kupina. Now, they find themselves in a rusty refugee ship anchoring in Shanghai harbor without money, documents, and any prospect in the near future, but Klim believes that he and Nina can cope with any challenge as long as they are together.
One night, Nina disappears from the ship amidst strange circumstances, and Klim’s fellow refugees suspect that she ran away with another man.
Once in the city, Klim is rejected by both the whites and the Chinese, and his only dubious ally is a difficult teenage dancer who decides to seduce him for sport. Klim knows that the “fallen gods” should keep a low profile, but he is obsessed with winning his life back and finding out what happened to Nina.
He writes a diary, which becomes a whimsical China travel guide to the world of weapon smugglers, opium traders, corrupt police, and communist agents doing everything possible to ignite a civil war in China.
But when Klim discovers Nina’s dark secret, he begins to doubt if he can handle it. And to make things worse, the Chinese nationalists gather an army and launch an attack on defenseless Shanghai.
White Ghosts is a testament to the endurance of the human spirit and a totally new look at Chinese history during the roaring 1920s. Based on extensive research and memories of the author’s family members, it tells the story of the unlikely heroes, the people who, consciously or unconsciously, played a significant role in destroying the racist ideology and eventually the decolonization of China.
This book is a must-read for fans of Shanghai Girls by Lisa See, The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes, and The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
163 people are currently reading
1043 people want to read
About the author
Elvira Baryakina
15 books62 followersBorn and raised in Russia, Elvira Baryakina is an expert on Russian history of the early 20th century.
Since 2002, she has been living in suburban Los Angeles with her husband and son. She writes fiction and teaches creative writing. Her books have been translated into several languages.
Since 2002, she has been living in suburban Los Angeles with her husband and son. She writes fiction and teaches creative writing. Her books have been translated into several languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 22, 2013
I’ve been “currently reading” this book for months. I found it rather exciting to begin with as it’s a fantastic social document but overall the book disappointed me. I had been seduced by the title (my own stupidity of course; I must learn to be more discerning) as firstly Shanghai has always had such a “je ne sais quoi” quality about it and the history of China is quite remarkable, apart from a couple of rather unfortunate periods (which I wish could be erased from history) and secondly, the “roaring twenties” with visions of that fantastic era in London, New York and Paris. This would unfortunately not prove to be the case.
I found the book quite depressing in fact, and I confess that I skipped over a fair part as I found it a trifle long-winded. Yes, I felt sorry for those individuals forced to leave the Motherland and find another country to live in. That must be dreadful for the soul of an individual as it’s such a loss to one’s own personal identity, and especially living life as a refugee.
We all know that the Russian Revolution destroyed many peoples’ lives in more ways than one. Nevertheless, I found the two main characters Klim Rogov, the former reporter and his wife, Nina Kupina (cunning was the word for her) quite unlikeable. Also there were too many characters involved and it wasn’t linear but I confess that I found the end touching.
I basically didn’t like Elvira Baryakina’s style of writing. It didn’t state “read me, read me” which I require from a book, for without that, what is the point of “staggering relentlessly” through a book when there are so many others to be read.
However, this is evidently an excellent book as I see that many other people love it and that’s the main thing. How lucky we are to have choice in this marvelous world of ours and that’s what continues to fascinate me.
I found the book quite depressing in fact, and I confess that I skipped over a fair part as I found it a trifle long-winded. Yes, I felt sorry for those individuals forced to leave the Motherland and find another country to live in. That must be dreadful for the soul of an individual as it’s such a loss to one’s own personal identity, and especially living life as a refugee.
We all know that the Russian Revolution destroyed many peoples’ lives in more ways than one. Nevertheless, I found the two main characters Klim Rogov, the former reporter and his wife, Nina Kupina (cunning was the word for her) quite unlikeable. Also there were too many characters involved and it wasn’t linear but I confess that I found the end touching.
I basically didn’t like Elvira Baryakina’s style of writing. It didn’t state “read me, read me” which I require from a book, for without that, what is the point of “staggering relentlessly” through a book when there are so many others to be read.
However, this is evidently an excellent book as I see that many other people love it and that’s the main thing. How lucky we are to have choice in this marvelous world of ours and that’s what continues to fascinate me.
January 29, 2013
I found Elvira Baryakina's White Shanghai quite interesting. I'm not a true fan of historical fiction, but this time I enjoyed reading the book.
White Shanghai is multilayered and multicultural: it tells about Russian immigrants, Chinese communists, American journalists, German arm dealers and businessmen of all kinds.
There are stories about art, politics, war, love, betrayal and fraud. Really, the novel touches a LOT of topics.
Most of all I enjoyed discovering something new, things absolutely unknown to me. What was going on in China in 1920s? I had no idea. But now I do. There was the end of the whole epoch, political and cultural, and it was really captivating.
White Shanghai is multilayered and multicultural: it tells about Russian immigrants, Chinese communists, American journalists, German arm dealers and businessmen of all kinds.
There are stories about art, politics, war, love, betrayal and fraud. Really, the novel touches a LOT of topics.
Most of all I enjoyed discovering something new, things absolutely unknown to me. What was going on in China in 1920s? I had no idea. But now I do. There was the end of the whole epoch, political and cultural, and it was really captivating.
January 29, 2013
When you really want to know what will happen next, it’s quite frustrating to wait a year or even more until the next novel is published. That’s what I felt after I finished reading Elvira Baryakina’s White Shanghai.
The author’s voice is just as I like it. From the first chapter, you can tell that the author enjoys her topic and her characters. They are charming, witty and passionate. The historical details are so true to life, you can tell that time and effort invested in this novel were enormous.
There is a lot of events, emotions and impressive observations. All characters, just like real people, have their merits and shortcomings. I read about their complicated but so fascinating lives, worrying with them, laughing and hoping for the best.
The author’s voice is just as I like it. From the first chapter, you can tell that the author enjoys her topic and her characters. They are charming, witty and passionate. The historical details are so true to life, you can tell that time and effort invested in this novel were enormous.
There is a lot of events, emotions and impressive observations. All characters, just like real people, have their merits and shortcomings. I read about their complicated but so fascinating lives, worrying with them, laughing and hoping for the best.
November 24, 2018
The continuation of the story started in Russian Treasures set in Shanghai among the destitution of the white emigres, the naked exploitation of the locals by the representatives of the powerful countries hand in hand with the rich locals and the clash of cultures in this 20's Babylon, doesn't disappoint, being a fast-paced novel that cannot be put down once started
The main characters: Klim is still the modern picaresque hero, naive, well-intended and hence taken advantage of all the time, but somehow surviving his many (mis)adventures and even prospering here in a way- and Nina, who resembles to a large extent Maugham's (anti)heroine from Of Human Bondage, interested only to get by, so taking any advantage possible at a given moment, though her "cleverness" may finally lead her into fatal trouble, are joined by an essentially new cast, colorful and entertaining.
Highly recommended like the first volume
The main characters: Klim is still the modern picaresque hero, naive, well-intended and hence taken advantage of all the time, but somehow surviving his many (mis)adventures and even prospering here in a way- and Nina, who resembles to a large extent Maugham's (anti)heroine from Of Human Bondage, interested only to get by, so taking any advantage possible at a given moment, though her "cleverness" may finally lead her into fatal trouble, are joined by an essentially new cast, colorful and entertaining.
Highly recommended like the first volume
January 29, 2013
I bought this book for my husband as a Christmas present. I knew he is fascinated by the roaring 20s of the Western world but a roaring 20s in China took him by surprise.
The book provokes thoughts and discussions. It takes you at pace through the Chinese roaring 20s highlighted by Russian post revolution refugees set against British business and political interests. It is not only a story about turmoil of war and revolution, it is about people and how they cope with such times. It is a story of love and betrayal interwoven as a moral dilemma against the history of a little known era of Chinese culture. I would say it is a good read)
The book provokes thoughts and discussions. It takes you at pace through the Chinese roaring 20s highlighted by Russian post revolution refugees set against British business and political interests. It is not only a story about turmoil of war and revolution, it is about people and how they cope with such times. It is a story of love and betrayal interwoven as a moral dilemma against the history of a little known era of Chinese culture. I would say it is a good read)
February 3, 2013
The White Shanghai is a great book, thrilling, full of adventure and risk! I couldn't stop until i read it to the end. The characters are so vivid, bright. I learned a lot about the historical events in the early 1920ies, people moods and behaviour. It showed varios parts of life - from the lowest layers to the top and how they interact in those hard times. I liked that Elvira Baryakina depicted different kinds of happiness to people and the way they reached it. I recommend this book for those, who are interested in history, and for all, who are fond of adventures and thrill!!
December 6, 2013
This is a brilliant, original book. Quite unlike any other I've read, although I must admit I have read very few (if any) Russian authors (Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky still on the the bucket list). Although very poignant and dealing with serious times, it is also very FUNNY. I would categorize it as a moderately dark Russian Seinfeldian literary gem. I actually rationed my reading because I didn't want to reach the end. I hope someone will eventually translate Ms. Baryakina's other works. I would stand in line to buy them.
June 24, 2024
I was fascinated by the history here, none of it did I know beforehand. The author skillfully sews the lives of a group of Russian refugees with the Chinese workers with the British upper class in 1920's Shanghai. Their stories are interwoven with both the political and human aspects tied together. I didn't even mind the errors in the translation from Russian - there weren't many - and where I normally would have found it annoying, it almost seemed to fit into the scheme of it all. Very satisfying read.
August 3, 2018
Когда читала эту книгу, все время задавала себе вопрос: а что бы делала я, если бы очутилась в такой ситуации (как главные герои), в чужой стране, без денег, без поддержки?.. Очень сильная книга, интересные герои и неожиданные повороты сюжета.
June 7, 2018
Hello, Elvira! I read your book White Ghosts. I bought it on a book fair in Moscow, at the time of presentation (it was a few years ago). I read the book with big pleasure, in one breath. Thank you!
March 10, 2013
I was excited to receive this novel since it is set in Shanghai in the 1920s, a chaotic period in the history of that city and China as a whole. In setting and depiction of the political corruption, public unrest, and rampant racism, the book didn't disappoint. It's a confusing time and I still don't have it clear in my mind but I know a lot more than I did before I read this book. I admire the author's ability to sort it all out.
Whites mostly lived in the white settlement which was forbidden to Chinese unless they were employed by a white family. In this story, the main characters are White Russians who fled the Bolshevik revolution via Vladivostok on the remaining ships of the tsar's navy. From there they sailed south, stopping at ports in hopes of finding help and shelter but no one wanted them. As they ran out of supplies and people were dying on the ships, they came to Shanghai and stopped. There was no place to go. At that point many of the more adventurous refugees found a way into the city where they fed and clothed themselves through means both legal and illegal.
I had one huge problem with this novel. I really didn't find any characters that I liked or even cared much what happened to them. The protagonist, Klim Rogov, a journalist is too passive, his estranged wife, Nina, too aggressive and self-centered, and the others just plain unlikable. You must keep in mind that these people are in an impossible situation and I understand that. The Russians are looked down upon and definitely unwanted in Shanghai. Just making enough money for a little food and maybe a room to sleep in requires a lot of luck and courage. Nina makes a success of her businesses because she cares only about herself and doesn't mind trampling on others to get what she wants.
This book was written by a Russian woman who lives in New York, but she wrote it in Russian. It was then translated by a team of two people and they did a marvelous job of it. It still has a Russian flavor to it but the English is impeccable. It was published in London. As I think about it, that's almost as confusing as the situation in Shanghai.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical novels firmly set in the period and place, and who don't mind a long novel of more than 500 pages. The novel carries the reader along without boring passages and tells a good story.
Source: LibraryThing win
Whites mostly lived in the white settlement which was forbidden to Chinese unless they were employed by a white family. In this story, the main characters are White Russians who fled the Bolshevik revolution via Vladivostok on the remaining ships of the tsar's navy. From there they sailed south, stopping at ports in hopes of finding help and shelter but no one wanted them. As they ran out of supplies and people were dying on the ships, they came to Shanghai and stopped. There was no place to go. At that point many of the more adventurous refugees found a way into the city where they fed and clothed themselves through means both legal and illegal.
I had one huge problem with this novel. I really didn't find any characters that I liked or even cared much what happened to them. The protagonist, Klim Rogov, a journalist is too passive, his estranged wife, Nina, too aggressive and self-centered, and the others just plain unlikable. You must keep in mind that these people are in an impossible situation and I understand that. The Russians are looked down upon and definitely unwanted in Shanghai. Just making enough money for a little food and maybe a room to sleep in requires a lot of luck and courage. Nina makes a success of her businesses because she cares only about herself and doesn't mind trampling on others to get what she wants.
This book was written by a Russian woman who lives in New York, but she wrote it in Russian. It was then translated by a team of two people and they did a marvelous job of it. It still has a Russian flavor to it but the English is impeccable. It was published in London. As I think about it, that's almost as confusing as the situation in Shanghai.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical novels firmly set in the period and place, and who don't mind a long novel of more than 500 pages. The novel carries the reader along without boring passages and tells a good story.
Source: LibraryThing win
January 30, 2013
The plot of White Shanghai was so captivating that I finished reading the book in two days.
If you like historical fiction with beautifully written characters and well researched details, then this novel is for you. I especially liked how the author tells the story of a woman and a man whose world has turned upside down. While trying to survive in a new environment, they still had to deal with problems of respect and trust - topics that bridge this story with the modern world.
If you like historical fiction with beautifully written characters and well researched details, then this novel is for you. I especially liked how the author tells the story of a woman and a man whose world has turned upside down. While trying to survive in a new environment, they still had to deal with problems of respect and trust - topics that bridge this story with the modern world.
May 5, 2018
Очень интересный, продуманный сюжет. Видно, что автор хорошо знает историю! Читается очень легко. Рекомендую!
July 15, 2013
A sweeping, epic historical drama focusing on a family and those they interact with. This book appealed to me because of my literary interest in the Russian Revolution and in Communist China. I found this book an eye-opener as I was relatively unaware of the situation going on in Shanghai involving the Russian refugees escaping the socialist take over of their own country at a time when China itself was very unstable politically as its various factions tried to gain ground and take their country into one run by a government. Communism hadn't won at this time but other forces gained very little ground and much defeat. Shanghai became a place where the international communities needed to protect themselves, spies and double agents roamed the streets and decapitated heads flew, then adorned poles.
Like any good piece of Russian Literature this book is populated with a huge cast. The story moves back and forth from concentrating on certain persons/people at a time but eventually they all intersect and become a part of one another lives. I thrive on this type of storytelling; I find there it refreshing to receive different perspectives of the same story. The first couple of chapters were slow but after that I was hooked quite profoundly and found myself sitting down and reading huge blocks of this chunkster at a time. Many people from this story start out naive enough, wanting what is best for them/for others, but as they live the hardscrabble life and hearts are broken more than once they become hardened and I found everyone ended up making choices to survive that were contrary to their original nature. Therefore I found it difficult to actually like any of the characters as I disproved of them all for the most part. And many of them end up paying for their sins. Nina, I found to be a very interesting character; here is one who started off greedy wanting all she could get for herself and she remained true to this philosophy right to the end, but perhaps she's finally found how it is to truly love someone back even if it means they most forgo their freedom to have the love back.
The story itself is quite political and I'd recommend that readers have some knowledge of the beginning of communism in both Russia and China. The book is full of historical information, but not much in the way of letting you in on all the whys and wherefores . It does assume you know what is meant. The book is after all originally written and printed in Russian for an intended Russian audience. The only quibble I have is that the book did contain a certain amount of typos. I didn't really notice any until about a third of the way through, at first they were sparse, then they became a bit more frequent, then they settled but never quite disappeared. They are obvious enough to make mention, but mainly consist of spelling errors and transposed or missing words. This didn't detract from my reading of the book but it would be greatly improved by an intense edit before any further printings. I'd recommend to those who are interested in the early stages of both these countries as they entered Communism and those who enjoy an epic family drama., knowing that there are no happy endings for everybody, just a few.
Like any good piece of Russian Literature this book is populated with a huge cast. The story moves back and forth from concentrating on certain persons/people at a time but eventually they all intersect and become a part of one another lives. I thrive on this type of storytelling; I find there it refreshing to receive different perspectives of the same story. The first couple of chapters were slow but after that I was hooked quite profoundly and found myself sitting down and reading huge blocks of this chunkster at a time. Many people from this story start out naive enough, wanting what is best for them/for others, but as they live the hardscrabble life and hearts are broken more than once they become hardened and I found everyone ended up making choices to survive that were contrary to their original nature. Therefore I found it difficult to actually like any of the characters as I disproved of them all for the most part. And many of them end up paying for their sins. Nina, I found to be a very interesting character; here is one who started off greedy wanting all she could get for herself and she remained true to this philosophy right to the end, but perhaps she's finally found how it is to truly love someone back even if it means they most forgo their freedom to have the love back.
The story itself is quite political and I'd recommend that readers have some knowledge of the beginning of communism in both Russia and China. The book is full of historical information, but not much in the way of letting you in on all the whys and wherefores . It does assume you know what is meant. The book is after all originally written and printed in Russian for an intended Russian audience. The only quibble I have is that the book did contain a certain amount of typos. I didn't really notice any until about a third of the way through, at first they were sparse, then they became a bit more frequent, then they settled but never quite disappeared. They are obvious enough to make mention, but mainly consist of spelling errors and transposed or missing words. This didn't detract from my reading of the book but it would be greatly improved by an intense edit before any further printings. I'd recommend to those who are interested in the early stages of both these countries as they entered Communism and those who enjoy an epic family drama., knowing that there are no happy endings for everybody, just a few.
February 23, 2016
A fairly rare bird, a book I didn't finish. I gave up after about two hundred pages (less than forty per cent of the way in). I'm genuinely unsure whether it's a matter of poor writing in the original Russian or sloppy translation, or both, but it produces passages like, "In the beginning, he pestered her with his desires and this caused Lissie to become pregnant." The book really wants to be epic in a War & Peace style, but the narrative style is far too summary to allow the reader to feel any engagement. No one interacts like actual human beings interact; no one speaks in ways that actual human beings speak. Instead it feels like the goal is just to rush through events as quickly as possible.
September 11, 2015
I seriously can't understand why this book receives high ratings. The era and setting are right up my sleeve, but I found this the most disappointing book I picked up this year. The premise is interesting, but the structure is far to fragmentary. There are many characters, but none of them is captivating. The chapters are just too short and superficial for being taken away to the world the author tries to create. Truely a pity.
PS. And what's the deal with those drawings. They belong in a book for teenagers.
PS. And what's the deal with those drawings. They belong in a book for teenagers.
August 7, 2018
Для меня эта книга была естественным и логичным продолжением "Аргентинца". Прочитал с большим интересом и удовольствием. Как будто пообщался со "старыми знакомыми", вместе с ними преодолевал поставленные тогдашней жизнью проблемы. Рекомендую, кайф гарантирован, не разочаруетесь ))).
May 29, 2018
Couldn't put it down!
August 27, 2019
Totally enjoyed this trilogy, recommend if you enjoy historical fiction
February 18, 2013
*I received this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.*
White Shanghai chronicles the lives of a diverse and interconnected cast of characters in Shanghai during the 1920s. Opening with the arrival of a group of Russian refugees in Shanghai following the upheaval of the Russian Revolution, the novel displays the struggles, opportunities, and pitfalls of life in China during the 20s. The large number of characters and the constant ups and downs of their lives makes the plot somewhat difficult to discern in this novel, although I did appreciate the author's ability to depict a realistic picture of life in Shanghai in all its variations.
White Shanghai chronicles the lives of a diverse and interconnected cast of characters in Shanghai during the 1920s. Opening with the arrival of a group of Russian refugees in Shanghai following the upheaval of the Russian Revolution, the novel displays the struggles, opportunities, and pitfalls of life in China during the 20s. The large number of characters and the constant ups and downs of their lives makes the plot somewhat difficult to discern in this novel, although I did appreciate the author's ability to depict a realistic picture of life in Shanghai in all its variations.
August 28, 2013
I enjoyed reading this book because of its particular sort of naive style. Part of its charm was actually in the fact that it poorly translated, and you could get a sense of the very Russian point of view. The problem was that this incorrect English usage often went a bit too far, and the flow of the narrative was interrupted by things that were just plain incorrect. I have a feeling that the English mother tongue translator didn't really bother to read the book and correct the mistakes. The editing was really poor as well, and I'm really amazed that the publisher would do this kind of disservice to the author whom I feel has great promise.
May 18, 2019
Удивительный мир Китая. Подробности быта русской эмиграции, особые методы продвижения коммунистических идей к мировому господству и много познавательного о не таком уж далеком прошлом России и Поднебесной. Все это на примере людей, попавших в жернова исторических коллизий. Им сочувствуешь, сопереживаешь и желаешь выжить. Невозможно оторваться от страниц книги с самого начала до задней обложки.
Amazing world of China. Details of Russian emigration, special methods of promoting communist ideas to world domination and a lot of learning about the not so distant past of Russia and the Celestial Empire. All this on the example of people caught in the millstones of historical conflicts. You sympathize with them, empathize with them and wish to survive. It is impossible to break away from the pages of the book from the very beginning to the back cover.
Amazing world of China. Details of Russian emigration, special methods of promoting communist ideas to world domination and a lot of learning about the not so distant past of Russia and the Celestial Empire. All this on the example of people caught in the millstones of historical conflicts. You sympathize with them, empathize with them and wish to survive. It is impossible to break away from the pages of the book from the very beginning to the back cover.
March 12, 2020
Nice and entertaining.
Nicely written novel with a History based team. Well investigated on actual facts, makes it a very interesting Read. Would recommend.
Nicely written novel with a History based team. Well investigated on actual facts, makes it a very interesting Read. Would recommend.
January 2, 2023
Momentami nudna, jednak o wiele lepsza niż pierwsza część
October 15, 2025
Absolute!!!!
November 3, 2014
White Shanghai. A Novel of the Roaring Twenties in China by Elvira Baryakina was a bit of a disappointment to me. I have been fascinated by Shanghai ever since I visited there in 1993. The architecture styles are so different on the Bund and other parts of the city and this city has such an unusual history. It is one of those cities that you can feel where the past calling you.
I appreciate the tremendous amount of historical research that the author has put in to write this book, especially little bits of history that I wasn’t familiar with. I liked how she portrayed the prejudices of the Russians and the Chinese. I felt that she portrayed the period and place beautifully.
What I did not favor was the tremendous number of characters to follow in this book. I tried to keep track of them on paper but gave up I realized there were so many. I had to look back in the book to remember who they were.
Also, I did not feel sympathetic to either of the main characters, Klim Rogov or Nina Kupina. Both of their characters seemed so opportunistic and uncaring that I did not care about them. I would not like to meet either one if they were living.
For me the best part of the book was the exciting end. I also loved the drawings which were very expressive of the characters. But on the whole, I was disappointed.
If you do not mind not liking the main characters and want to learn some of the history of Shanghai during the 1920s then this book is for you. If you really want to read about a character who you feel close to, then this book is probably not for you.
I received this Advanced Reading Copy as a win from the Library Thing but that in no way influenced my review.
I appreciate the tremendous amount of historical research that the author has put in to write this book, especially little bits of history that I wasn’t familiar with. I liked how she portrayed the prejudices of the Russians and the Chinese. I felt that she portrayed the period and place beautifully.
What I did not favor was the tremendous number of characters to follow in this book. I tried to keep track of them on paper but gave up I realized there were so many. I had to look back in the book to remember who they were.
Also, I did not feel sympathetic to either of the main characters, Klim Rogov or Nina Kupina. Both of their characters seemed so opportunistic and uncaring that I did not care about them. I would not like to meet either one if they were living.
For me the best part of the book was the exciting end. I also loved the drawings which were very expressive of the characters. But on the whole, I was disappointed.
If you do not mind not liking the main characters and want to learn some of the history of Shanghai during the 1920s then this book is for you. If you really want to read about a character who you feel close to, then this book is probably not for you.
I received this Advanced Reading Copy as a win from the Library Thing but that in no way influenced my review.
March 10, 2019
The book is brilliant! After reading the first novel of the series: Russian Treasures I could not wait to read another one adventure of the two main characters Nina and Klim. This time they are not in Russia – they made it to Shanghai. It is a beautiful historic piece based on good research. I did not know a lot about China of that time period before the White Ghosts. When reading the book it feels like walking on the streets of the city together with the main characters. It is a great story of survival in extremely hard times. What we will do if we get an invitation for a tango with death?
May 4, 2014
LOVED this book. It combined the two countries I like most to read about: China & Russia. The author's style is totally Russian too - dry humor, a ton of characters, loads of story lines... all the goodies that come with Slavic lit. Really intriguing time period too. Most people only think of the American version of the roaring 20s - this was the same time, totally different place and my understanding of this time period feels way more enriched because of it.
July 23, 2020
I have a thing for pre-war Shanghai when it was billed as the cosmopolitan "Paris of the East." I enjoyed the colorful descriptions of expatriate life. This particular story is about the White Russian emigres who, being stateless, were guests for only an interlude in China. But there were hundreds of thousands of them, and their stories are wonderful but often tragic.
February 18, 2019
Adore it! So much pleasure to read. Recommended!
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